Chinese spy prosecutions in Taiwan triple over four-year period

Taipei [Taiwan], January 13 (ANI): The number of Chinese espionage cases prosecuted in Taiwan has increased threefold in the past four years, according to a report released by Taiwan's National Security Bureau (NSB) on Sunday, Taipei Times reported.
According to Taipei Times, the report revealed that 16 spies were prosecuted in 2021, followed by 10 in 2022, but the figure surged to 64 in 2023. The NSB noted that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been collaborating with local gangs in Taiwan to build a network of armed spies.
These spies, operating on behalf of the CCP, have infiltrated various sectors of Taiwanese society, using a range of tactics and recruiting Taiwanese citizens to gather sensitive government information, the NSB said, as reported by Taipei Times.
The majority of those targeted by the CCP for recruitment were military personnel, either current or retired. Among the 64 prosecuted last year, 15 were retired military members (23 per cent), and 28 were active personnel (43 per cent), as reported by Taipei Times.
The NSB provided an example of CCP tactics, highlighting the case of one-star general Lo Hsien-che, who was lured into a honey trap while stationed in Thailand. Lo later leaked military secrets to Chinese officials in exchange for money, Taipei Times reported.
The CCP also engages in espionage through local gangs, illegal lenders, shell companies, and even religious and nonprofit organisations, according to the report. They use financial incentives, debt coercion, and infiltration of government and military sectors to recruit operatives, including attempts to influence elections in Taiwan.
Additionally, according to Taipei Times, the NSB uncovered plans for potential armed insurrection should the Chinese People's Liberation Army invade Taiwan. The CCP allegedly recruited gangs to raise Chinese flags and instructed snipers in Taiwan to target military and foreign personnel. Military members were also reportedly asked to fly helicopters to China and surrender, handing over Taiwan's defence plans.
The CCP uses digital payment services and cryptocurrencies to fund recruits, making financial transactions harder to trace, the report noted.
The NSB has strengthened its cooperation with the military and investigative agencies to combat espionage. Prosecutions and conviction rates have risen, with a significant spy ring dismantled last year, resulting in one spy being sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Increased public awareness and tips from military personnel have significantly aided in the detection of espionage activities, the report concluded. (ANI)